Foldable box



Feb. 12, 1935. v w H FAlRCHlLD I 1,991,347

FOLDABLE BOX Filed Jan. 27 1934 s Sheets-Shet 1 ab to'rmm o.

wvautoz Feb. 12, 1935. v w, FAIRCHILD 1,991,347

FOLDABLE BOX Filed Jan. 27. 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Elna/"a o.

Fb. 12, 1935. w, H FAlRCHlLD 1,991,347

FOLDABLE BOX Filed Jah. 27, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Z I 72 M11. Fdz'mziza Patented Feb. 12 1 935 i s i H UNlTED STATES! g a:

4 '-1 ,991,3;4 7 f Y FOLDABLE BOX v s Walter 'H. Fairchild, Baltimore, Md.,' assignor to The Baltimore Paper Box Company, Baltimore,

7 Md., a corporation of Maryland Application January a7, 1934, Serial No. 708,644, v

- Claims. (01. 29-41) The invention relates to improvements in shal Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one end of the ,low boxes, usually constructed from heavy 'card-- box showing the manner in-which it is held-- board, straw-board, fiber-board or-the like,,and. against return to. collapsed condition. I having such fold'lines as to permit the four walls Only the lower section ofthebox has been dis- 5 :of the box to downwardly fold to horizontal posiclosed and it will be understood thatthe usual tions, economizing, in space for shipment, stortelescopic cover may be of similar'construction age, etc. While boxesof this character are very ifdesired. i desirable, difiiculty is encountered 'in' keeping ,For purposes of illustration, corrugated fibre their walls in'vertical position during box packboard or straw board has been shown, but it .ing, there being a great tendency of the diag'onalis to be understoodthat any rather stifi material ly creased walls to bulge and fold downwardly could be used. 'Moreover, the box'mayobviously i and outwardly causing acorresponding inward be constructed in various sizes andproportions. and downward movement. of the other walls; It The form of construction shown in Figs. 1' to isto provide a new and improved box of this Swill first be described: In these'views, 12"de- 15.:character, in which this difliculty' is effectively notes a'rectangularbottomp Fold'ablyconnected" 5;;

overcome, that I have 1 produced the present with the bottom l2and preferably integral'thei ee invention. I withare tw0-para11elwalls13 having extensions In carryingout; the above end, a further ob- 141 foldably connected with their ends, said .ex-'

ject has been the productionv of a commercially tensions being preferably integral with said ends.

20 practicable structure tree from suchcomplica- Two additional parallel walls 15 are "foldably tion as-to interfere with cheap and rapid manuconnected with the bottom 12 and'are preferably i'acture,-so inexpensive thatthe-purchase price integral therewith. These walls 15 are'perr will not be prohibitive, and so easily set up for manently secured against the inner sides of the use as to entail no trouble or loss oftime. extensions 14, by rivets '16 or in any other desired -With the foregoing view,1the invention reway; and they are provided with vertical end'gs sides in the novel subject,.1 natt er hereinafter. edges 17 which are inwardly spaced slightly from described and claimed, description being accom-- the inner sides of the wall's'13.'f 'Ifhese edges 17," plished by reference to the accompanying drawtheporti'ons ofthe walls l3 opp0sed thereto, and ings, Y thecontiguous portions of the extensions 14;

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing one form jointly form four vertical grooves 18 disposed 30 of the box in the flat folded condition in which one in each corner of the box. I

it reaches the user. i The walls 13 are creased or otherwise provide Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the box with fold lines 19 which permit the four walls partially opened up for use. 13 and 15 to jointly fold downwardly to the col- Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one endofthe lapsed condition shown in Fig. 1. To prevent 35 box showing the manner in which the walls are return to thiscondition after the box is opened held vertical. up for use however, struts 20 are provided to snap v Fig. 4' is a detail vertical sectional view on into the grooves 18 and to be held in operative line 44 of Fig-1% position by said grooves. In the form of con- 40 5 is perspective View Showing one of struction under consideration, theregare two of 40 the struts e p y i to p i return of the box the struts 20, each strut consisting of a rectangg gi j condmon after It has been Opened gular strip creased and stapled at 21, or other wise foldably connected with the bottom 12 along a m g gggg fig fgg: but showmg the lower edges of the walls 13. Each strut is pro- 7 is a perspective View showing the box vided with vertical end edges 22 to snap into the of Fig. 6 partially opened f grooves 18 When the walls l3 and 15 are un fold- Fig 3 is a perspective w of one end of the ed from the collapsed condition shown in Fig. 1, box showing the manner in which it is held the Struts which normally lieuponthe tt against collapse after opening for use. 12 as S in d fi a as y swung 50 Fig. 9 is a perspective view similar to Figs. Wardly as Shown i and the resilien y 0f 1 and 6 but showing a, third form of constructhe material from which the improved box is 9 tion. constructed, allows the vertical end edges 22 to Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the box; snap into the grooves 18, as seen in Fig. 3, so

of Fig. 9 partially opened up for use. I that the struts hold the walls 13 and 15 against return to collapsed condition, said struts then also reinforcing the ends of the box.

In the form of construction shown in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive, the parts 12, 13 14 15 and 16 are duplicates of the parts 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 above described. The only difference between the two forms of construction being in the structure and mounting of the struts. In the form of construction now under consideration (Figs.- 6 to 8) the struts are denoted at 20 and four of these struts are used, disposed in pairs at the opposite ends of the box. Each pair of struts is formed from a single rectangular strip foldably connect-' I ed between its ends to the adjacent wall 13 the strip being creased and stapled atjill in the present disclosure. The vertical'end' edgesY22 are intended to snap into the grooves 18 preventing functioning of the fold lines "19', so that the box cannot return to its collapsed condition, after it is once opened up for use.

In Figs. 9 to l1.. the parts.12 13 14 15 and 16 correspond to theparts 12', l3, 14, 15 and 16 previously described;andalso to the parts 12%, 13 14 15%and-l6. However, whereas the walls 13 and 13'? are shorter than the walls 15- and 15., the walls 13" are longer than the walls 15*. i The walls 13 are formed with the inclined fold lines 19 and folding of thebox is prevented when it is set up for use, by struts 20 These struts are formed from fourseparate strips creased and stapled at 21 to the walls 13, and they, are provided with vertical endedges 22 to snap into the.

grooves 18*. I I, K

.It will be seen from the-foregoing thatnovel and advantageousprovision has been made-for carrying out, the objectssof the invention,,and while three .practicableforms of construction have been disclosed, it is tobegunderstood that the invention may alsobe embodied in other forms.

.The present disclosure. is therefore to be considered as illustrative. rather than limiting.

I claim:-- I l. A box comprising a rectangular bottom, a pair of parallel rectangular Walls foldably con V nected with said bottom and having extensions foldably' connected with'their ends, an additional pair of parallelrectangular walls foldably connected with said bottom and, permanently secured against the inner sides ofsaidextensions, the" vertical end edges of said additional walls being inwardly spaced from the first-named walls, whereby said vertical end edges, the portions of the first-named walls opposed thereto, and the contiguous portions of said extensions jointly form four vertical grooves in the corners of the box, said first-named walls having fold lines incliningfromthe lower endsof said grooves to allow Joint downward folding oi the' four walls, and struts to normally prevent such folding, said struts being engaged with said grooves and held in operative position thereby.

2'; A box comprising a rectangular bottom, a

pair of parallel rectangular walls foldably connected with said'bottom and having extensions foldably connectedwith their ends, an additional pair of parallel rectangular walls foldably connected with said bottom and permanently secured against the inner sides of said extensions, the vertical end edges of said additional walls being inwardly spaced from the'first-named walls, whereby said vertical end edges, the portions of the first-named walls opposed thereto, and the contiguous portions of said extensions jointly form four vertical grooves in the corners of the box, said first-named walls having fold lines inclining from thefllow'er ends of said grooves to allow joint downward folding of the four walls, and struts foldarily'connected with the box in position to swing across saidinclined fold lines and to'snap into said grooves to prevent said joint downward folding of said' walls.

3. A structure as specified in claim 2; said struts consisting of two fiat rectangular strips foldably secured't'o said bottom along the lower edges of i said first-mentioned walls respectively and having vertical end edges to snap into said grooves.

sides of saidfirst-named walls respectively, said strips having vertical end edges to snap into said grooves.

5. A structure as specified in' claim 2; said struts consisting of four flat rectangular strips foldably secured against the end portions of said first-named walls and having vertical end edges to snap into said grooves.

v I WALTER H. FAIRCHILD. 

